Homeostasis+-+Population+Control

=Homeostasis: Population Control=

Richard Dysinger richdys@msn.com Richard Dysinger richdys@msn.com || || | [|Instructional Objective] | [|Learners & Context] | [|Object of Game] | [|Game Materials] | | [|Time Required] | [|Rules] | [|Design Process] | [|References] | ** Instructional Objective **   The instructional objective for Homeostasis: Population Control is to engage students in the continuous interactions and relationships that define an ecosystem. More specifically, students will be able to identify the abiotic and biotic factors that govern the interactions in an ecosystem. The students will understand how limiting factors can stop the growth of a population and how certain abiotic factors can greatly aid the growth of a population of a species or community. More importantly they will begin to recognize how delicate the balance is for population growth in an ecosystem and how homeostasis is a difficult proposition to achieve.
 * **Homeostasis Population Control **

This fits in closely with the content standards for sixth grade using DODEA grade level content standards and the Community strategic Plan (CSP) as designated by headquarters in Arlington Virginia. More specifically, this refers to the strands under the science content standards of SS6a – SS6e, SS1a-SS1g, and SS4a – SS4c. The focus remains on life science and the various interactions and relationships that define an ecosystem. As a whole, ecology represents a large chunk of the curriculum standards for science at the sixth grade level. ** Learners & Context of Use **   The learners for this game are sixth grade students age 10-12 that are currently located on an overseas military installation in Iwakuni, Japan. They are, in general, a very hands-on group that prefers to have science acted out before them with their involvement. The idea of presenting board game to them that allows a simulation to occur that parallels the growth of populations in an ecosystem and the relationships they have with abiotic (limiting) factors is something that will increase their engagement.

The game itself would be used as a core component of the life science unit in my science content area. The game would be utilized in school over the course of several class periods. It could also be an excellent take home alternative for students to share with family and friends. In this manner they would have to explain the concepts to someone new which would only deepen their understanding. In class the groups would consist of 2-4 students at a time which is pretty much all the space the board can hold. Prior to the game, the students would have received notes and conducted activities related toward the concepts of ecology, ecosystem relationships, biotic and abiotic factors, population capacity and so forth. They will be familiar with the material prior to playing the game. After each game played, I would have students conduct a reflection on the game and how it proceeded, focusing on the elements that can be learned about an ecosystem and homeostasis of population growth. ** Object of the Game **   The objective of the game is for students to gain a better understanding of homeostasis and the role Abiotic factors play in the growth and decline of a population within an ecosystem.

In terms of game play, the objective is for students to reach homeostasis for a total of ten turns. This is further defined as having a population within acceptable limits. This is stated on the population cards selected by students at the beginning of game play. **Game Materials**    ·  **Board Game –** A generic ecosystem template that is divided into four quadrants on which students can maneuver their populations as they see fit. //An alteration to the game could include the creation of specific ecosystem board types//. [|gameboard.jpg] ·  **Tokens –** Used to denote population numbers. Math counters can work well here. Certain colors refer to specific populations or can refer to specific numbers so the game board does not become clogged. //For example: blue represents 1 individual. Red signifies a group of five individuals. Yellow represents groups of ten individuals.// Token sample ·  **Population Cards –** These cards are selected at the beginning of game play by the player. They list the specifics of the population the student will play on the ecosystem game board including population type, starting size, number of individuals gained with each turn, habitat specifics and special accommodations. Population Cards ·  **Abiotic Cards –** These cards detail a specific abiotic factor that can affect a population. They are played one per turn by students. They can be used by the player for his/her population or against any other player. They include specific directions that must be followed theta affect a population size or spacing. Abiotic Cards ·  **Ecosystem cards –** These cards are played one per each turn and affect all players and the entire board or specific quadrants. They also affect the growth/decline of a population by imitating specific natural events that can harm/help homeostasis in an ecosystem. Ecosystem Cards ·  **Homeostasis Markers –** Markers that can be used by players to mark when they have reached homeostasis at the end of a turn. Checker pieces or chess pieces would work great here. Sample markers ·  **Containers –** Small boxes to hold the homeostasis markers. Shoe boxes or small cardboard boxes work great here. A one sides cube works well here as well. ** Time Required **   The setup of the game is easy, somewhat akin to Monopoly although time may be taken by players to set up their populations on the board. The length of play can vary from 30 to 90 minutes. Play of the game could carry over very easily from one period to the next. The game could even be brought home for play outside of school.  **The Rules**   
 * Set up **
 * 1) Students remove game board and set it up on a flat surface.
 * 2) Abiotic cards and ecosystem cards are placed in piles beside the board game.  Population tokens are placed within container nearby.
 * 3) Students shuffle population cards and each select one randomly from pile. This is their population for the remainder of the game.
 * 4) Students use the population cards to determine starting size of population and place these on board as they see fit.
 * 5) Each player selects three abiotic cards from the abiotic card pile. These are to be played by the students one card per turn during game play.


 * Game play **
 * 1) Game play begins with one player taking an ecosystem card and reading it aloud for the group. Ecosystem cards are played once per round. They affect the entire board and all population unless otherwise directed. If it affects a specific quadrant of the board, then only populations on that board are affected.
 * 2) Players change their population based upon the ecosystem card directions read aloud.
 * 3) Each player plays one abiotic card from their hand. The player chooses which player (including him/herself) that the abiotic card will affect. Abiotic cards can be used against other players. The abiotic card directions affect only the player it is targeting.
 * 4) Each player must play one abiotic card per turn. They cannot pass.
 * 5) ** A round consists of one ecosystem card and one abiotic card played per player.  **
 * 6) At the end of the round and after all players have played one abiotic card, players review their population totals to determine if they are within the homeostasis guidelines listed on each of their population cards. Players that are within homeostasis take a homeostasis marker and place it in the appropriate spot on the board.
 * 7) The end of the round is marked by players taking one abiotic card from the pile. Each player begins a round with three abiotic cards.
 * 8) The next round continues as the first.

1.  Game play ends when one player gains ten homeostasis markers. 2.  All other players count up their markers to determine order of finish. 3.  The game board is cleaned up and all materials returned in proper order.
 * End of the game **

<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">**Design Process**   <span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> The design process for this was not as difficult as I anticipated after reading through the directions of the game board design. If anything, I enjoyed it quite a bit although it proved tricky when determining rules.

My first thoughts were focused on science since I am always looking for hands on activities in this core subject. The overall concept focused on the idea of providing a simulation of a natural ecosystem and its carrying capacity. I want students to recognize that biotic factors are influenced by more than just their fellow biotic factors. This game idea gave me the chance to have students to complete a hands-on activity that really demonstrated the relationships between abiotic factors and a biotic population’s growth. I enhanced this by really making the game one that would require students to think strategically in terms of placing their pieces around the board. Initially my idea was single ecosystem that had no quadrants but then the idea of spacing appealed to me so that students could begin to envision why one type of spacing (random, even, clumped) could affect a populations ability to survive and thrive.

I really had no other ideas although the idea of food webs intrigued me. However, so many others had done this and done it well that I felt I would only really be mimicking them as I undertook the game design. The food webs are similar to this although that focuses primarily on biotic to biotic relationships. I wanted to really include abiotic factors as well.

For feedback, I brought the game idea to a grade level meeting and we discussed it. Here I received some great responses and even some help in devising the population cards so they were less complicated and more simplistic for quick student play. I also sat down with my mentor teacher and we ran through a quick game, talking each turn out, asking questions from our perspectives and the student perspectives. This helped immensely but also showed that the rough draft I had developed really had a chance to work in a class setting with minimal changes.

Lesson I have learned are many. First, you need to take the vantage point of the student when devising the game. It needs to be fun and informative but mostly fun or else no one will play. Engagement should always be the key component of any game design. You want the players engaged into the process so they can play and use this as learning tool to its full effect. I especially found it challenging when confronted with wildcards or shortcuts that could affect game play. I initially fought this as a part of the game but then realized that this would have a huge affect on what I did. I would not fight this next time but embrace the idea of a game changer. My current game has quite a few of them.

In terms of the eight components: Ø  **Facts –** I focused intensely on the idea of population size and the abiotic factors that directly influence this in an ecosystem. My goal was to use the facts we had learned in class as a means to create a gem that would make these facts jump from the paper. //Sample facts: Water affects all biotic organisms. Soil can vary from one ecosystem to the next. Soil contains minerals essential to life. Air is a mixture of gasses that aid numerous processes including respiration.// Ø  **Concepts -** I focused intensely on the idea that relationships exist within an ecosystem. I wanted my students to recognize that an ecosystem is nothing more than a series of numerous interactions and relationship. Students need to see that one affects the other and would continue to do so over time. //Sample concepts:// //carrying capacity is how much an ecosystem can sustain. Limiting factors limit the growth of a population and are subject to continuous change. Abiotic factors include air, light, temperature, soil and water.// Ø  **Principles –** This was the big idea part I wanted to look at. I wanted students to recognize that some principles can govern a population and an ecosystem. Concepts do not act alone but are intricately connected. //Sample principles: Water and soil combine to aid in the growth of numerous biotic organisms. Air affects temperature and its ability to block out ambient light. //  Ø   **Procedures –** The idea here is that for a population to survive and thrive it needs to be able to meet several actions and it is a continuous process that takes place over time. What actions do they take to ensure that they reach their goal of homeostasis was the big guiding procedure here. The rules of the game are integral here. //Sample procedures: use of abiotic cards for self or against others, ability to move individuals as necessary. //  Ø   **Processes -** The process is a natural order that occurs consistently and all over the world in all ecosystem types. Many of the ecosystem cards were related to this. The idea that the players could not control what happened with these card and they were consistently implemented at the beginning of each round. //Sample processes: ecosystem cards.// Ø  **Probabilities –** Here is where I had some fun in that I wanted students to have the freedom to select where to place their individuals. I wanted them to recognize that it is not an easy thing to predict how an abiotic factor or limiting factor can affect a population. Students can try to guess and sue spacing principles to help them but it is not always a successful venture. //Sample Probabilities: use of quadrants in ecosystem cards, use of abiotic cards that affect only certain populations, and the use of abiotic cards against other players.// Ø  **Context –** The situation or place this game occurs in is very simplistic. I didn’t name a specific ecosystem type although this could easily become a variation for future versions. Instead I made a generic one with the idea that the ecosystem is one that is defined as a region where abiotic factors affect a community of populations. //Sample context: ecosystem board game, maybe future versions with specific ecosystem types.// **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Vantage – **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> The goal here was for students to take the vantage of specific population with specific attributes. They would be forced to respond as a population might and be constrained by the limits of the population. //Sample vantage: population cards. //

<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">**References** **Books & Journals**<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> * Ø   Glencoe; Science, Red Edition, Glencoe, New York, 2003. Ø  UXL Encyclopedia of Biomes, Marlene Weigel, Detroit, 2000. Ø  Environmental Science Investigation, Salvator Levy, Maryland, 1999. Ø  Theory of Fun, Ralph Koster, Arizona, 2005. **Electronic** * <span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">URL1 ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">URL2
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">etc.